Selvage forming apparatus



Oct. 16, 1962 R. DEwAs SELVAGE FORMING APPARATUS 2 sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 25, 1958 INVENTOrL Raymond en/a5 Oct. 16, 1962 R. DEwAs sELvAGE FoRMING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1958 u... IL .n.h

INVENTOR. @a5/mond Deu/z5 Il ll lull ATTOILNBBS ited rates 3,658,496 SELVAGE FGRMENG APPARATUS Raymond Dewas, 120 Blvd. de Saint Quentin, Amiens, France Filed Feb. 25, 1953, Ser. No. 717,389 Claims priority, application Luxembourg Mar. 2, 1957 4 Ciaims. (Cl. 139-124) This invention relates to the formation of a selvedge on a fabric in a loom wherein the weft lthreads are fed continuously from a bobbin located outside of the shed and cut to length. It is applicable to all looms of this type, including rectilinear and circular looms.

In the past it has been suggested to fasten the warp threads of a selvedge, -by inserting, Ibetween the ends of the wefts, loops formed of an auxiliary thread, which in combination with the selvedge threads properly speaking, consitute securing means for the cut wefts whilst retaining the outside warp threads, or marginal threads of the selvedge so as to prevent the said marginal threads from leaving the fabric, that is to say from fraying out.

The known arrangement is described as applied to a straight loom and comp-rises a hook, that is given an oscillating movement, and provided on its end with an eyelet hole through which is passed the auxiliary thread, which hook inserts the loop between the sheets of the warp threads, for the selvedge, the loop being stopped during the withdrawal of the hook by a needle which rises through the sheets of warp threads. An arrangement of this type is descirbed, for example, in French Patent No. 565,096 corresponding to British Patent No. 214,198.

This arrangement however, has several inconveniences amongst others:

That the part which supports and operates the hook must be mounted to slide (because in working position it is in the path of the reed) so that it can be pushed away by the sley when it advances to beat-up the weft, thus giving rise to shocks that are detrimental to the various parts constituting the arrangement and prevent operational high speeds;

That the hook which inserts the loops between the sheets of selvedge warp threads oscillates in a plane perpendicular to the warp threads, so ythat at the end of its travel before it emerges above the upper sheet of warp threads, it causes a fatigue to the auxiliary thread and the warp threads;

That this arrangement causes the hook -to be entered into the shed remotely to the fell of the cloth, and, consequently, tardily, in order that said hook may have room to operate between the sheets, thus causing the hook to have a quick withdrawal which requirements necessitate the giving to said hook of a rapid movement;

That the arrangement of the mechanism in the proximity ofthe selvedge is bulky and inconveniences the weaver when drawing in the selvedge warp threads;

That the performance of the needle connected to the sley, is uncertain, complicated and brutal as well as incompatible with high speeds, and the fact that the needle is pushed against the fell of the cloth at the moment of beating-up is injurious both to the needle and the reed leaving a mark in the fabric.

The present invention has for its object to remedy these drawbacks and it provides a new and simpler arrangement which includes improvements enabling a more certain, more handy and more rapid operation.

These improvements principally consist in using for the formation of the loops, a circularly curved needle mounted rigidly on a shaft arranged to make said needle oscillate in a plane parallel with or substantially parallel with that of the fabric and which after the insertion of the loop, causes said needle to be removed in time, off the path of the part pressing the weft against the fell of the 'ice cloth, instead of having, as in the former known arrangement, a hook which oscillates in a plane perpendicular to the warp threads.

The loop is retained in the selvedge, by a plunger which turns in a plane perpendicular to the fell of the cloth and the point of which passes through the warp threads, instead of having, as in the former known arrangement, a needle which is arranged to pass through the sheets of warp threads and which is operated by a complex mechanism.

In the drawings which accompany this complete specication and which show a simple construction by way of example only:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an arrangement for the formation of selvedges according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan from above of a modified circularly curved needle;

FIGURE 3 is an external View in elevation of said needle;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a somewhat different construction; and

FIGURE 5 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the threads.

In these figures, 1 are the warp threads, 2 is the fell of the cloth, 3 is the fabric, and 4 is the circularly curved needle, rigidly Aconnected to the shaft 5 at right angles to its plane 'by means of the arm 6.

The part 7 of this needle which enters the opening of the shed is thinned down so as not to fatigue the warp threads of the selvedge, the pointed end S of this thinned part has an eyelet hole 9 through which is passed the auxiliary thread 1@ which forms the loop 11. The part of the needle 4 which does not enter the shed has the form of a channel 12, open towards the exterior of the curve, for guiding the auxiliary thread 10 passing from the bobbin to the eyelet hole 9. A supplementary eyelet hole can be arranged before the eyelet hole 9 to assist in guiding the thread.

The auxiliary thread 10 coming from the bobbin passes through a tixed tension device, a movable tension device, a fixed eyelet (which have not been shown on the drawing for the sake of clarity), then along the channel 12 of the needle 4 and through the eyelet hole 9 in the point 8 of the needle.

The movable tensioning device, which `also may act as a thread stop-motion, has for its object to take up any slight slack in the auxiliary thread 10 that may occur during the operation of inserting the loop 11 in the shed.

In the case, for example, lof a horizontal straight loom, the shaft 5 of the needle 4 is, preferably, supported by the frame of the temple (not shown), but it can be supported by the breast-beam (not shown), or otherwise and can be operated from the underside of the loom.

The needle 4 `oscillates in the plane of the fabric in close proximity to the fell.

If the said shaft 5 is vertical, the radius of the needle 4 is sufciently large forfthe said shaft to be outside the range of action of the sley (not shown), when this beats-up the weft. But the shaft 5 can be inclined if it is not possible to arrange the operating parts between the line of the fell and the breastbeam or if it is desirable to use a needle 4 of smaller radius or if it is necessary to prevent interference with certain operating parts for the needle.

The needle 4 is operated by a first cam 15 keyed on the rotating shaft 16, and which, by the intermediation of the roller 17 and its shaft 18, causes the lever 19 to turn about the axis 20, the roller 17 being maintained in contact with the cam 15 by the action of the spring 21.

The lever 19, by the intermediation of the rod 22,

rocks the lever 23, rigidly mounted on the shaft 2'4 which supports the Ibevel pinion co-operating with another bevel pinion 26 keyed on the shaft 5 of the needle 4.

13 is an arcuate plunger secured to a shaft 14 preferably journalled in the frame of the temple. The shaft 14 extends in a direction parallel to the weft threads of the fabric, and the plunger 13 moves substantially at right angles to the plane of the fabric. Said plunger is operated by a second cam 27 keyed on the rotating shaft 16, and which, by the intermediation of the roller 28 and its shaft 29, rocks the lever about the axis 31, the roller 28 being maintained in contact with the cam 27 by the action of the spring 32.

The lever 30, by the intermediation of the rod 33, transmits a reciprocating movement to the rack 34 which engages With the toothed sector keyed on the spindle 14 of the plunger 13.

The parts of the arrangement operate in the following way:

When the reed (not shown), carried by the sley begins to move backwards after having beaten-up a weft against the fell 2 of the cloth, the shaft 5 of the needle 4 turns and the point 8 of the latter enters progressively into the opening of the shed until it is a small distance from the fell 2, without causing excmsive strain to the warp threads 1 or the auxiliary thread 10 which is drawn in. Owing to the relative position of the shaft 5, the point 8 approaches the fell 2 proportionately as it enters the shed, so that the auxiliary thread 10, drawn in through the eyelet hole 9, forms the loop 11 very near to the fell 2.

The plunger 13 is then oscillated so that its end enters the loop 11, passing through the warp threads 1 and the loop as shown in FIGURE 1.

The movement of the needle 4 is then reversed and its point 8 is brought back again out of the shed, the loop 11 of the auxiliary thread 10 being retained in the shed by the end of the plunger 13. The needle 4 continuing its movement, is completely withdrawn from the path of the reed when this advances to beat-up the weft and the loop 11 with it. At the same time, the plunger 13 has been raised -before the weft and loop are `beaten-up by the reed. FIGURE 5 illustrates the manner in which the selvedge warp threads are embraced and retained by the loops of the auxiliary thread, the cut wefts being firmly clamped .between the marginal Warp threads.

The needle 4 and the plunger 13 can be operated by a single cam 27a (FIG. 4) operating two olf set rollers as the needle and the plunger have themselves shifted movements the different phases of operation of which are lasting substantially the same time. Particularly the single cam or both the cams may be located in proximity to the means to be operated.

The oscillating movement of the needle 4 can be combined with another movement along the length of its shaft 5 to provide for different requirements.

The loops 11 can :be formed, either with each weft shot, or with every two or more weft shots.

For certain fabrics, the auxiliary thread can advantageously be coated with an adhesive or be formed of heat hardening plastic material.

When the loom works backwards, the needle and the plunger are immobilized outside of the shed.

It is to be understood that variants, improvements in detail and the employment of mechanical equivalents may be imagined without departing from the scope of the invention.

Further the point of the circularly curved needle can be constituted as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, that is to say the channel 12' can be extended up to the eyelet hole 9 the opening of which is then arranged in a horizontal plane (Le. at right angles to the plane of the channel) which imposes a particularly favorable path for the auxiliary thread 10, the part 7 of the needle 4 which enters the opening of the shed being progressively thinned down.

I claim:

1. A device for the formation of a selvedge on a fabric in a loom of the type wherein weft threads are fed continuously from outside the shed and cut to length, and wherein each weft thread is pressed against the fell of the fabric, said device comprising an inserting needle, means supporting said needle for oscillating movement about a stationary axis extending substantially at right angles to the plane of the fabric to and from close proximity to the fell of the fabric, said needle being adapted to insert a loop of an auxiliary thread at the fell of the fabric between the marginal warp threads of one shed web and the corresponding marginal threads of the other shed web, holding means mounted substantially at right angles to the plane of the fabric for oscillating lmovement into and out of the shed, said holding means being adapted to engage and to retain the loop in position when the needle is being withdrawn out of the shed, said holding means being also adapted to be moved out of the shed at the moment the weft thread is being pressed against the fell, and means for operating the inserting means and holding means in phase relationship in order that the inserted weft thread and the loop of auxiliary thread be pressed together against the fell.

2. A device for the formation of a selvedge on a fabric in a loom of the type wherein weft threads are fed continuously from outside the shed and cut to length and wherein each weft thread is pressed against the fell of the fabric, said device comprising a curved needle having an eye near the point thereof and a channel extending lengthwise of said needle to conduct an auxiliary thread to the eye, a rotary shaft for the needle extending substantially at right angles to the plane of curvature of the needle and to the fell of the fabric, said shaft being disposed behind the fell of the fabric, a plunger located above the fabric, a rotary shaft for the plunger disposed parallel to the weft threads of the fabric, a projection on the plunger, a rotary cam shaft, cam means carried by said cam shaft, cam follower means for said cam means, and mechanical connecting means for connecting said cam follower means to said shaft of the needle and to said shaft for the plunger to rock the point of the needle into and out of the shed to insert a loop of auxiliary thread between the marginal threads of one shed web and the corresponding marginal threads of the other shed web close to the fell of the fabric and to pass the projection of the plunger through the warp threads and the loop of auxiliary thread in order to retain said loop while the needle is being withdrawn prior to the pressing of the weft thread and loop of auxiliary thread together against the fell.

3. A device for the formation of a selvedge on a fabric in a loom of the type fwherein weft threads are continuously fed from outside the shed and cut to length and wherein each weft thread is pressed against the 'fell of the fabric, said device comprising a curved needle having lan eye near the point Ithereof and a conduit extending lengthwise of said needle to conduct an auxiliary thread to the eye, a rotary shaft `for the needle extending substantially at right angles to the plane of curvature of the needle and to the fell of the fabric, said shaft being disposed behind the fell of the fabric, a cam shaft rotated in phase relationship with the pressing o-f each weft thread, a -rst cam carried by said cam shaft, a first cam follower for said first cam, mechanical connecting means between said first cam follower and Said shaft `of the needle to rock the point of the needle into and out of the shed to insert a loop of auxiliary thread between Ithe marginal threads of one shed web and the corresponding marginal threads of the other shed We-b close to the fell of the fabric, a plunger, a rotary shaft for the plunger disposed parallel to the weft threads of the fabric behind the fell thereof, a projection on the plunger, a second cam, a second cam follower for said second cam, mechanical connecting means between said second cam follower and the shaft for the plunger to pass the projection of -the plunger through the warp threads and the loop of auxiliary threads in orderto retain said loop while the needle is being withdrawn prior to `the pressing of the weft thread and loop of auxiliary thread together against the'fell.

4. A device for the formation of a selvedge on a fabric in a loom, wherein weft Ithreads `are continuously fed from outside the shed and cut to length and rwherein each weft thread is pressed against -the lfell of :the fabric, said device comprising a curved needle having an eye near the point thereof and a conduit extending lengthwise of `said needle Ito conduct an auxiliary thread to the eye, a rotary shaft for the needle extending substantially a-t right angles lto the plane of curvature of the needle and to the fell of the fabric, said shaft being disposed behind the fell of the fabric, a cam shaft rotated in phase relationship with the pressing of each weft thread, a cam carried by said cam shaft, a cam follower adapted 'to engage on a portion lof said cam, mechanical connecting means between said ca rn follower and `the shaft of the needle to rock the point of -the needle into yand ou-t of the shed to insert a loop of auxiliary thread between the marginal threads of one shed web and the corresponding marginal threads of 4the `other web close to ythe fell of the fabric, a plunger, a rotary shaft 4for the plunger ldisposed parallel to the weft threads of the fabric behind the fell thereof, a projection on the plunger, another cam follower adapted to engage a different portion of said cam, mechanical connecting means between -said last-mentioned cam follower and ythe plunger shaft to pass the projection of the plunger through the Iwarp threads and the loop of auxiliary therads in order to ret-ain said -loop while the Aneedle is being withdrawn prior to the pressing of the weft thread and loop of auxiliary thread together against the fell, said first and second-mentioned cam `followers being arranged on said cam in :offset relation to each other to provide correct timing of the needle and plunger movements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 706,376 Barlet Aug. 5, 1902 2,469,202 Burdock et al May 3, 1949 2,742,932 Libby Apr. 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 127,348 Germany Feb. 25, 1899 214,198 Great Britain Sept. 1l, 1924 1,096,428 France Feb. 2, 1955 

